Pulsar: The Awakening
by PastaKittyQueen
Summary: The end is drawing near, nearer than expected. The thin curtain between peaceful everyday life and full-on Armageddon is a select few oh-so-average civilians. With the fate of the world in their hands, they must destroy a merciless being of great power, unknown before now. (Pokespe AU rewrite)
1. Copain pt 1

**Welcome to the official re-release of Pulsar. As stated on my profile, someone has voted on my poll asking whether or not I should rewrite this. And they voted yes, so I took that as a sign that this should be rewritten. And let me tell you, the suspense was killing me. Now a few things. First, this will have much more detail than its predecessor. I'll be more about the specific characters themselves when needed, as well as give more back story and create a more detailed setting, all while trying not to bore you, the reader, to death. Second, I'll follow the original plan (in the margin of my math notebook) more closely. I'm taking it measure-by-measure, most likely coming just a bit closer to that 145-chapter estimate. But that doesn't mean I won't take suggestions, so long as they don't deviate too much from my original plan. Third, this will be a more serious work, but I'll try and slip little bits of humor here and there, most likely a bit more mature or dark. Which leads me to my fourth point, being that this is to be rated T for added detail pertaining to both injuries inflicted upon characters and the more 'mature' matters that will be handled in the story, as well as a bit of language I'll most likely add. Lastly, if you're ever wondering what the heck I'm talking about, there are four things you can do; go to Bulbapedia and check out the characters' pages, go to Noteflight via the link on my profile and look at the piece, look at the whole chunk of my profile dedicated to this story, or ask me for clarification through a review or PM. By the way, something I'd like to mention, the name will be changed due to the fact that, since I couldn't bare to part with the original, FanFiction won't let me have two stories with the same name. And with that, I give you... Pulsar: The Awakening.  
**

* * *

There was once a time—a simpler time. Through the eyes of children, everyone got along. There was no fighting unless it was right on their doorstep, a rare occasion for most. Through the eyes of adults, everything was for money; the wars, their jobs, even life itself. Through the jaded eyes of the elderly, who had lived long and full lives, everything was pointless. They'd seen enough worthless fighting to know that it was never worth anything. But there were always the select few who saw what was really there; something unraveling, unwinding, revealed to be something far greater than what was on the surface. And it's those people that stories and legends, epics and folktales, are written about.

_3450 – Glassworks Kingdom_

"Come on, Greenie!"

"I told you not to call me that!" The two young children ran through the field of grass, reaching up past their waists. Despite the harsh sunlight beating down on them, they enjoyed running through the grass, always one jumping out of the grass—a young girl wearing a bright blue sundress—while the other searched for her—a slightly younger boy wearing a purple shirt and brown pants.

As the two played, the sun moved across the sky. Before they knew it, darkness crept up from the horizon. Hues of orange, red and purple skirted above the thick forest of trees at the edge of the field. But the children kept playing, somewhat unaware of the fact that night was about to fall, and they were due home long ago.

"Blue, we should be getting back by now!" the boy called to the girl. She didn't answer. He called out to her again. "Blue!" Still no answer. Wading through the grass, he searched for her in the fading light.

As a loud shriek echoed across the field, the boy was now alert. Almost instantly, he was able to pinpoint the source—by the edge of the forest. He ran as fast as his young little four-year-old legs would allow him. The closer he came, the louder the screaming became. By the time he reached the trees, his ears were all but ringing as his eyes fell upon the shape of an adult picking up the girl.

"Put her down!" Catching the attention of the adult, the boy charged for their legs, attempting to topple them. Instead, he only got a rough kick to the face. Blood and darkness mixed as his vision blurred, eventually subsiding to the ground. With a light _thud_, his eyelids flitted—the last thing he saw was the girl being carried away by this mysterious person.

"Blue…"

_3456 – Glassworks Kingdom - Green's POV  
_

Another sunrise, another day. The same mundane routine and the same eventual outcome—second place. Second to whom, you might ask? Did it even matter anymore? It was always someone different, so many faces you don't even care after a while. But there was one person I'd managed to surpass—Red. He was naïve, didn't know a single thing when I first when up against him. But, with time, he became stronger, more skilled. Luck I always told myself. But luck or not, I came in second.

But today, all that would change. Today was the day, the day of the tournament. We'd all sign up for it—even Red—and I'd come out on top. Walking up to the sign-up counter, I began speaking with the man.

"Name."

"Green."

"Battle style."

"Melee." The man gave me a strange look.

"You? A little kid doing melee? Whatever, I don't make the rules." Scribbling something down onto a slip of paper, he handed it to me. Gripping it was the faintest smile I could muster, I walked through the stadium doors. Taking a right, I entered the combatants' room—this is where the people competing in tournaments wait until it's their turn in the lineup.

"Hey Green!" I cringe as I turn around. As I expected, there's Red. Of course he's here, this is the biggest tournament in the whole kingdom! Whatever, I'll deal with him when the time comes.

"…"

"I guess I'll see you in the tournament." Finally, he's gone. I don't think I could've taken another minute of his overly-cheery attitude, and the fact that he's always trying to talk to me. _Sigh_.

I went through a few fights, managing to successfully take out each of the underestimating adults. They were easy, considering they gigantic and sluggish, no match for a nimble strategy such as my own. All I had to do was get behind 'em and they were as good as done. I'd only have a real problem once someone tried that on me.

Walking back into the combatants' room, I took a seat on the bench, catching my breath from the previous match. I was drenched in sweat from all the fighting, causing my normally-spiky hair to droop as I tried my best to keep it out of my eyes. Looking up at the match-ups, I saw that it was just about time for the quarterfinals. Looking around the board, I saw Red, of course, as well as a name that seemed familiar to me in some way. Blue. Where had I heard that name before...?

"Green and Palmer!" Hearing my name called, I got up, walking out of the pungent room and onto the battlefield. Before me stood a young man. He was a skinny guy, didn't look too terribly strong. I'll bet he wasn't too slow, either. This could spell trouble. As the fight started, he charged straight towards me. Dodging at the last minute, I took a swipe at him once he'd lost his balance. As I raised my foot for a swift kick to the side, his arm shot out, grabbing me. I tried to shake away, but he yanked his arm, bringing me to the ground.

Palmer got up quickly, putting a foot on my chest. I struggled to get up, my breath shortening as he held me down, picking me up by my shirt. Now in range of his upper body, I swung wildly, attempting to distract him for just a moment. But he stayed firmly in place, raising his other fist.

Suddenly, a light flashed upon my vision. I was in the exact same situation, except with someone else up against me. I can't exactly remember... But I saw myself moving to the side, kicking with both feet at my opponent.

Things returned to the battlefield, a deafening roar from the crowd filling my ears. Palmer was still pulling his fist back. As I saw his arm moving, I moved my head to the side, allowing for him to punch at a wall. While he cried out in pain, I kicked at his chest with both feet, using all the strength I had. He fell to the ground, letting go of my shirt. I stood in front of him as he writhed in pain, using this one moment to dive onto him with my elbow digging into him. He let out a strained cry, submitting immediately.

"And our winner is Green!" the announced called out. Slightly stunned by what had happened, I walked back to the combatants' room, taking my seat on the bench.

"Way to go, Green!" Instead of the usual feeling of irritation I normally felt when Red came up to me, I just nodded, only half-noticing that he was here. I'd just won against the guy. But... how?

Time seemed to pass at nearly the speed of light. Before the last round, which would no doubt be me against Red, I saw something.

The combatants were called; Blue and Jared. As soon as I saw Blue, memories flooded back to me. Us playing as kids, her getting kidnapped... Did she remember me? I mean, it'd been years, but there's still a chance, isn't there?

Once that fight had ended, I went up to her as she limped in. Even though she'd won, she'd dropped out due to an injury.

"Um... Blue," I said to her, more nervous than I'd ever been.

"Yeah?" she replied perkily, despite the pain she most likely felt.

"H-Hi. It's me. Green." There was confusion in her eyes.

"Green?" she began, cocking her head to the side. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"N-No, sorry. Wrong person." She didn't remember.

"It's okay," she said, limping over to a bench, leaving me to stand there like an idiot. For a couple of minutes, all I was able to think about was her. Trying to ignore the bitter truth that she had no clue who I was, I tried to think back to the times we'd spend together. Back then, she was some immature little kid. I guess she still was now, but I could tell that she'd matured.

"Finals! Red and Green!" That was my call. Walking out onto the battlefield, I just then began feeling the pressure of the crowd. I knew how this worked; someone, somewhere, had placed a bet on me winning. No doubt they'd racked up quite a bit of cash. But if I lost now, I was sure to have someone looking to beat me to a pulp.

"Ready... Go!" For a good while at the beginning of the fight, we just stared each other down. Occasionally one of us would try and fake the other out, quickly retracting whatever we'd done. Finally, I decided to go for Red. Praying for another of those visions, I skidded just a few feet from him, swinging my leg into a roundhouse kick. As expected, he dodged it. While both of us recovered, I shot a fist straight at his chest. A risky move, yes. But necessary? Probably, considering the kid was pretty strong.

My fist connected with his chest, causing him to stumble back a bit, the breath knocked out of him. Taking this chance, I tried to punch him again, only to have him duck, spinning around and tripping me. As I feel onto my back with a _thud_, he began to come down with an elbow pointed at me. I managed to roll away just in time, avoiding what could've been a near-fatal move. Rising in a split second, I placed a foot on his back, a satisfying smirk beginning to form.

Unexpectedly, Red began to rise, despite me putting as much weight as I could onto him. Even with me leaning on him, I toppled over onto my back once more. Red took this chance to land what must've been the most insanely-strong punch I've ever felt straight onto my chest. Suppressing the urge to scream, I just felt the wind knocked out of me as the announced called, "And the winner is... Red!"

Of course. He won.

"Hey, Green." The tournament ended an hour ago and he's _still_ bothering me. I just happen to be lucky enough to live in the same down as him. So we're taking the same route home. Simply fantastic.

"C'mon Green, say something. I thought we were friends." I stopped in my tracks.

"We. Are not. Friends," I managed to say through clenched teeth. My small body shook with all the pent-up anger and frustration I'd been holding in. "Not since day one have we been anything even _remotely_ close to friends." I heard my voice begin to rise. There was no point in quieting it. "All you've done is just get in my way, follow me around, and take every dream I _ever_ had and destroy it!"

By now I'd begun to yell. Red just stared back at me, horrified. It felt... odd.

"It's people like you I can't stand! You're always prancing around, doing everything I _can't_ do just to show off! And people reward you for it, for absolutely nothing! But what do I get for actually working hard for the past five years?! Absolutely nothing!" My throat was hoarse, and my face had become quite red. All I could think about was what I'd just said.

He hugged me.

"I-I'm sorry, Green," he mumbled. "I didn't know you felt that way."

H-He actually cared. He was completely oblivious this whole time.

And it was at that moment that I finally let everything out. The salty tears streamed down my face as my legs threatened to give out. Supporting myself on Red, I really thought about what had been going on since I met him. I'd never really communicated with people. For years I'd been away from my family and loved ones at boarding school, surrounded by cold and uncaring faces. Barely any time before I'd returned, I went on this stupid journey. And the whole time, all I really wanted was someone to spend time with, someone I could talk to—a friend. But at the same time, I was just pushing away anyone who'd tried to open themselves up to me.

But now, I had a friend.

* * *

**Now that I think about this, it's beginning to look like something out of a Gold &amp; Silver friendship story. But whatever, this OOC version of Green will have to go all Silver on me. A little. And yes, Blue has no recollection of her time in Pallet Town. She's completely oblivious to the fact that she ever lived there, as well as the fact that she knew Green at all. By the way, this is not the end of the exposition I'll be having. Sorry if having another of these seems just a tiny bit unnecessary, but if you don't like tons of exposition, click away to something else. Anyway, next chapter will focus more on my version of the Yellow Arc. This was RGB. Or RBG. Whatever it's called. And I think there was something else I wanted to say... Probably wasn't important. So, be on the lookout for a new chapter. Probably not anytime soon, but eventually. Before Christmas, I hope. Which gives me just under three weeks to do this. Among other things. Wish me luck, have a good day, and... I'm bad at endslates.  
**

_**\- PastaKittyQueen**_


	2. Copain pt 2

**I've returned, dear readers, with another installment of Pulsar: The Awakening. Seeing as the last one included some about the climax/finale of the RBG chapter, as well as some pre-book stuff, it seems only fitting that this one, being the second part of my exposition regarding the Glassworks characters, is based off the Yellow Chapter. Not only that, but it will include some stuff regarding Blue and her time spent missing. And quick little thing, for those of you who read the first chapter, if it said 3461 where all the important stuff happened, that was supposed to say 3456. It's changed now, so don't worry. And with that, let us begin.  
**

* * *

_3457 - Glassworks Kingdom - Yellow's POV  
_

I stared out at the fuzzy shapes of forests across the enormous strait, glancing down now and then at the clear blue water. Feeling the cool water on my feet would've been great, but there were two problems with that—the fact that this was just shy of being declared an ocean and the fact that it would probably mess with that fish. So I just continued to sit there, feet beginning to boil despite the early hour, and waited for a fish to bite.

This was what I did just about every morning, at least since I was seven. Me and my uncle, Wilton, we catch fish for most of the western part of the Kingdom. I've been living with him pretty much my whole life, since my parents passed away when I was too young to remember them. But since then it's just been mornings fishing, afternoons fishing, the whole shebang.

"Get anything?" my uncle murmured from next to me. I shook my head, glancing down at the lapping water below us. A small squeaking sound came from next to me. Glancing over to my right, I saw Ratty, the little rat I'd befriended some time ago when I found him stowed away in our house. He seemed to smile at me before turning his attention to the water. Following his gaze, I saw something tugging on my rod. Exclaiming, I pulled upward, sliding myself backward. With the rod high over my head, I was still struggling to reel the fish in. Seeing my struggle, Uncle Wilton helped me up, assisting in the fish's capture.

"Got it!" I shouted, watching in awe as a gigantic carp flopped around in the little boat. Unable to react, my uncle apprehended the large catch, dragging it away from the edge.

"You sure got a big one, Yellow!" he cheered, keeping it down as he reached for the motor.

"I've got it," I offered, going over to start the boat's motor. With a deafening roar and a tiny puff of acrid smoke, we were on our way to the small wooded beach.

Upon reaching land, I helped my uncle control the carp until we got it into our house. There, it was tossed in with the other fish we'd caught before he said to me, "Mind going out to get something for breakfast?"

Nodding, I scooped up Ratty as I made my way through the towering trees to a subsection of the Kingdom's capital—Viridian City. I'd only ever gone to the larger part a few times, so this was all I knew of it, really.

Passing through the stalls, I picked up a couple of plums and kiwifruit, some potatoes, and a loaf of bread. I paid for the food, going back towards the forest. A chill ran down my spine as someone—or—something snapped on a few twigs, coming towards me. I stopped, waiting for something to happen.

"Get down!" I jumped, catching a glimpse of a red jacket before getting roughly shoved to the ground. Trying to get up, whoever was holding me down was easily capable of overpowering me. Another, deeper voice growled something as the person on top of me got off. I turned onto my back to see a boy—not much older than I was—standing defiantly against a taller teen. His crimson eyes shone with fury as a gentle wind blew back his spiky black hair.

"Oh, so you're gonna help out the little girl, are you? You're _such_ a hero," he said, his mocking tone dripping with sarcasm.

The other boy didn't even say a word as he ran forward, connecting his fist with his stomach. My attacker doubled over in pain, trying to shout something.

"G-Get... h-h-him..." His raspy words were followed by a short bout of coughing. Afraid, I turned my attention to the boy who'd saved me. He waved a hand in my direction, signalling to get away from here. Hearing footsteps coming towards us, I did just that, taking cover in a fairly large clump of bracken ferns. Peering through the plant's fractal-like leaves, I saw two other guys come out, fiercely attacking the red-eyed boy. He barely flinched, doing all he could not to submit. But alas, he faltered, falling to the ground.

Ratty peered out of my pocket, faintly squeaking at my horror-stricken face. The red-eyed boy was unconscious now, dragged through the forest. I stayed completely still until the only thing I could hear was the occasional chirp of songbirds.

"W-We have to go after them," I muttered under my breath. All I got from Ratty was a confused look that probably meant, 'You only just met him, why should help him?'

Ignoring his squeaking protests, I got up, storming towards Viridian City. Uncle Wilton would be worried sick, but he'd understand when I got back. And besides, it wouldn't take _too_ long. They couldn't have gotten far by now.

.oOo.

_Two Days Later..._

.oOo.

I sometimes wonder how a ten-year-old girl manages to go from chasing down three guys to a full-blown man hunt. With the thought lingering in my mind, I stepped into the crowded inn/tavern, known as Waterflower, searching out an employee.

"Are you lost, little girl?" I jumped, startled as I faced the tall man behind me.

"N-No," I said, still trying to calm down. "I was just looking to see if I could find a room here."

"Hmm..." He stroked his delicately curled mustache before saying, "I suppose I could find a room for you. Though be aware, it will most likely be no larger than a broom closet."

He stuck his hand into his back pocket, pulling out a little silver key with "Room 37" engraved on the little keychain.

"Thank you, sir," I said smiling, making my way over to a bar counter. It felt like weeks since I'd last eaten. Being pennywise is harder than I thought. Sitting on a wobbly bar stool, I waited for the bartender to come around.

"Psst. Kid." I glanced over to the right, seeing a brown-haired girl whose face was mostly concealed by a wide-brimmed black hat. "Yeah, you. Come over here."

Against my better judgement, I moved my stool closer towards the mysterious girl. She cupped her hand, putting it next to my ear, whispering, "Meet me next to the kitchen as soon as this place closes. I have information I think you'd like to hear."

The moment she was done, she slid off the stool, making her way towards the rooms as if we'd never spoken. I looked down at my pocket, seeking guidance from Ratty. But he just shook his head, burrowing back in to resume his sleep.

It didn't take long before the man from before—not doubt the owner—to go over to the front door, flipping the sign from 'Open' to 'Closed'. I scanned around for the door to the kitchen, eventually spotting a labelled door. Just moments after I got there, the girl showed up.

"So, if my sources are correct, a few days ago you were saved by this guy. Correct?" Frozen with shock, I could do nothing more than nod. "And right after, he was taken away by these other three guys. I'm assuming that is _also_ correct."

"H-How do you know all this? Who are you?" I asked, beginning to doubt whether I should've met her here.

"As I said, I have my sources. Now, as to who I am, you can call me Blue." She put out one hand, using the other to lift up her hat. "And you are?"

No way I'm telling her my name. I hardly know her! "I'm..." I racked my mind for a fake name to use. "...Amarillo."

"Great," she smiled. "Now, Amarillo, I know where this guy is. A little birdie told me you were trying to look for him. But, if you wanna get him back, you'll need to some help. You'll find an associate of mine if you go south to Saffron City. He'll give you some help."

"Okay... Who is this associate exactly?"

"His name's Green. Oh, and you'll need this if you don't wanna get spotted by anyone." She pulled out a straw hat, shoving it down onto my head. Without giving me a chance to answer, Blue ran off in the direction of the doors once more. What a strange girl.

.oOo.

_Three (More) Days Later..._

.oOo.

"I told you Amarillo, you need to hit harder!"

"Shut up, I'm trying!"

"Well try _harder_!" I smashed my fist into the thick trunk before me, leaving a shallow indent and several droplets of red from my bloodied knuckles. Suppressing the urge to scream in pain, I wiped it off, turning to face the prickle-headed boy standing off to the side.

"Is that enough?" I all but spat.

"... Yes."

I absentmindedly stepped away from the tree, in the direction of the boy. "What next, Green?"

He hesitated for a moment before answering. "I think you may be ready." I just knew my face lit up as soon as he said that. The faint squeaking proved me right.

"But," Green began, cutting off the imaginary victory dance going on in my head, "it's going to be difficult. And dangerous. Despite learning as quickly as you did, I am not entirely certain that you will be fully capable of defending yourself if you are correct in saying how tough these guys were. But ultimately, the choice to press on is all yours."

I knew in my heart I wanted to save the boy who'd saved me—It was only fitting, seeing as I'd be repaying him in a sense—but a little worm of doubt sprouted inside of me. Was I really able to do this? I brushed away the feeling, looking Green straight in the eye. "I believe that I am ready. When do we leave?"

"As soon as the sun sets," he said, staring at the golden disc hanging in the yellow/orange/red/purple/bluish sky. From where we stood, its light peeked up from above the black outline of the forest standing between us and our destination, washing a yellowish-orange light over everything.

.oOo.

"Wake up, it's time to go." My eyes shot open, seeing Green's shadowy face off to my left. I stretch my jaw into a wide yawn, blinking away tiredness while my brain took its time processing that it was time to go.

I got myself up, stretching out my arms before following Green through the night. We discreetly went through the forest, encroaching on a huge abandoned manor perched precariously atop a rocky spire.

"This is the place," Green whispered. Nodding, I continued along with him, keeping an eye out for any suspicious characters.

"Hiya!" I jumped what must've been at least ten feet, turning around to see Blue staring straight at me with a too-cheery look considering the situation.

"Pesky girl," Green muttered, walking ahead of us.

"Please don't do that," I complained in a hushed tone, trying to control my breathing as we went inside. Unfortunately, I was still taking giant breaths, which meant about ten years worth of dust flew into my lungs. Holding back a fit of coughing, I followed the two deeper within the manor.

"Aaahhh!" The three of us froze at the loud shout. It'd come from deeper within.

"Let's split up," Green breathed, signalling silently for Blue to go down the left-hand corridor and for me to go straight forward. He quietly tiptoed to the right, looking as cool as ever despite the anxiety I knew he was plagued with.

I could kinda tell what people were feeling sometimes. Like, if they're happy or sad or scared but they're just hiding it. Some kind of special power or something. But enough of that. Soon enough, all that would matter was making those three guys pay for what they'd done.

"Of course it was worth it!" I froze mid-step, hearing the raucous voices from a few doors down. Sure enough, light peeked from underneath the door, casting a faint eerie glow on that little bit of the hallway.

"Yes, but are you sure he'll pay us full? I mean, he's got a reputation for cheating his men," another voice said.

"Look, Ken, Harry, we're the greatest group of badasses there is—Team Rocket!" a third voice said. Thoroughly intrigued, I inched closer to the door. "I mean, look! We've captured this kid, like _real_ criminals, and in a day or so we're gonna get paid for it! If we're not criminals, who else would we be?"

"Kidnappers."

"Sickos."

"Eh, same difference!"

Curiosity getting the better of me, I put my eye up to the keyhole. Inside were the three guys—the light-haired one who's attacked that boy, and his two accomplices, the long-haired one and the black-haired one. They were gathered around a dim lamp, laughing like three kids who'd just gotten away with snagging some candy.

All of a sudden, I randomly lost balance, finding myself falling straight for the door. Knowing that even if it supported my weight I'd be caught, I just fell, accepting it. With a crash, I found myself sprawled on the floor. The three guys just stared at me like I was an alien or something.

"Any of you two order a kid?" the light-haired one, presumably the leader, asked. They both shook their heads. "Well, _I_ sure didn't." Taking advantage of their utter stupidity, I began backing away, hoping their wouldn't notice.

"Hey look, he's getting away!" Scrambling to my feet, I bolted down the hall as they attempted to catch me. Without daring to look back, I knew they were gaining on me. It wouldn't be long before they caught up to me.

Wheeling around, I bared a fist, just about shattering the jaw of the long-haired one, presumably Harry. Watching him fall to the ground, I heard footsteps behind me, and knew that Blue and Green had heard the commotion. Without hesitating, Green went straight for the black-haired one—Ken—and kicked him right in the chest. Still standing, Ken attempted to attack Green, only to have both their skulls slammed together, sending both into submission.

"You two are pathetic!" the last one spat, coming straight for me. Acting impulsively, I sidestepped, jumping on his back. Which proved to be a pretty stupid move, seeing as he just fell onto his back, crushing me under his weight. Luckily, Blue ran up to him, smashing a heeled shoe between his legs. Hearing something that sounded like a chipmunk with helium, I managed to get out from under him.

_Smash! _A foot smashed into the back of my head, sending me crashing to the floor, the wind knocked out of my lungs. I attempted to get up, only to have a foot placed on my back. Turning my head, I saw the bleeding and swollen face of Harry glaring down at me. Blue came running at him, stopped only by a quick fist aimed at her face.

"You think you can just come in here," he growled, "beat us up, and walk away like it was nothing? Well _think again_!" His foot pressed harder on my back. I let out a pained wail, regardless of my attempts to hold it back. Feeling a squirming in my pocket, I remembered that Ratty had come with us.

"N-No, stay there," I managed to whisper. Ignoring me, the little rat scampered onto my back, sinking his teeth into Harry's ankle. Feeling the weight taken off my back, he roared in anger and pain, kicking Ratty away. Watching him fall limply against the wall, a red haze overtook my vision.

"Why the hell did you have a rat with you?" he seethed. In a flash, he was on the ground as I had gotten back to my feet. Without thinking twice, I dived elbow-first into his chest. Ignoring the sound of his rib cracking, I walked to their leader, picking him up by his shirt collar as I leaned down into his face.

"Where'd you put him?" I spat behind clenched teeth.

"I-In the..." He froze mid-sentence, trailing off with a squeaking sound as he lost consciousness. Useless. But then, I remembered Ratty. He was still back there. Running, I came across the body of the small rat slumped in the corner. He was so cold... I didn't even bother to try and stop the tears trickling down my face. The only thing on my mind was the fact that I'd just left him here... Embracing the small rodent, I started wishing I could take back everything. I-I wished I'd taken better care of him, looked out for him.

"Whoa..." Sniffling, I turned to see the boy who'd saved me. He stared at me dumbstruck, like I'd grown rabbit ears out of my head or something. Before I could question him, everything got blurry. Within a matter of moments, I was unconscious.

* * *

**Wow, it's been a long time. Okay, so what just happened was Yellow started using her healing powers (without knowing it), and Red, who managed to get himself free, just saw it and didn't really know how to react. Green and Blue are still unconscious. And Ratty lived, so don't worry. Yellow passed out because she was using her powers, which in the manga tires her out. Also, the guys who kidnapped Red are the Team Rocket Elite Trio (they have their own Bulbapedia page), not the Elite Four, because those crazies are leaders of the Woodworks Kingdom and will have their appearance next chapter. Or possibly the chapter after that. They'll show up eventually. I hope that cleared that up. And in the following chapters, I'll be going somewhere with the actual plot of my story! Yay!**

_**-PastaKittyQueen**_


	3. Le Palais de Verre

**I've finally decided to create the third chapter. No more back story, just moving on with the plot! And I really don't want to waste time with this little beginning thing, so let's just get this started. Also, I decided to call this 'Le Palais de Verre' (Palace of Glass) 'Le Chateau de Verre' (Castle of Glass) because the latter sounds cliché and too much like a Linkin Park song. Not that there's anything bad with that, I just don't want this to be known as the chapter named after a Linkin Park song. Plus, a palace sounds more elaborate and expensive than some run-down stone building on a moor infested with rosin eating zombies from outer space.**

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_3468 - Glassworks Kingdom_

The capital city was alive with sparkling light. Citizens from all over the Kingdom had flocked to the Palace, like moths to an intricately beautiful flame. Snow had cloaked the rooftops and open streets of Viridian City, giving off a comforting wintry ambiance.

But most of the people crowded the winding streets didn't feel like taking in the beauty. No, their eyes were on the enormous palace situated in the middle, emitting vibrant golden candlelight from its many floor-to-ceiling windows.

"I can't believe we're finally going to attend the Glassworks Ball!" Ecstatic, Blue twirled around, her midnight blue dress fanning out majestically.

"Pesky woman," Green muttered under his breath, sending a 'You're a grown adult, calm down' look in Blue's direction.

"Eh, loosen up," Red butted in, nudging his friend in the shoulder. "This only happens every four years; she has every right to be excited."

Tonight, having decided to deviate from their normal attire, our heroes had adorned their best clothes. While Red and Green had opted for black suits with pinstripe red-and-black and forest green shirts respectively accompanied with black neckties, the girls had gone all-out, wearing dresses that put the Queen's sense of style to shame. Well, Blue had. The bodice of her midnight blue dress was intricately decorated with sparkling imitation sapphires while the skirt was allowed to flow freely around her long, slender legs. Yellow, on the other hand, wore a simple pink dress (specifically a delightful shade of French rose) and a rose-shaped pendant, concealed by her black cloak.

Looking absolutely _fabulous_, the group headed towards the main gates of the architectural behemoth, slipping in with the sparkling rabble the night had also drawn in.

The interior of the palace, however, had managed to outdo everything the outside had to offer. Painstakingly intricate glass chandeliers cast off an assortment of crystalline lights, dappling the long tables covered with countless exotic hor d'ourves and the beautifully swirled marble floors. A string quintet sat nestled in a corner, gracefully playing a rendition of the waltz from Face of Another. From atop a balcony at the front of the magnificent ballroom were the king and queen of the Glassworks Kingdom, Giovanni and Sird.

"It's beautiful!" Blue gushed, her eyes lighting up. "Let's go dance!" Grabbing Green's wrist, the brunet was forced to join the spinning masses on the dance floor, leaving Red and Yellow at the entrance.

"Well, um, uh..." Red's face quickly turned the color of a tomato as he urgently sought to get the words out of his mouth.

"I-I think I'll go check out the food," Yellow said quickly, thankful to excuse herself from what was very quickly turning into something she wouldn't have been able to get out of. Turning her attention over to the barrage of flavors, she scarfed down a grilled scallop without a second thought. Then another. And another. Why wasn't this working? Food was supposed to take your mind off of troubling thing, right? SCANNING the table, she found an assortment of cocktails. Grabbing one, she tipped back her head, a sudden burst of exhilaration. Forget Red, all she needed to think about was this stuff!

On the other side of the ball, far from Yellow's drinking antics, Green and Blue were dancing. For the most part, it matched the 3/4 of the music, occasionally getting a bit off-beat whenever one stepped on the other's foot.

"Gee, I didn't know you were such a dancer," Blue said flirtatiously, trying to manipulate her beauty to hypnotize the stoic young man who held her close.

"Well, my sister practically forced me to learn," he said, not at all catching onto Blue's little game. This was going nowhere.

"So, how have things been going at your grandfather's lab?" she blurted, hoping to keep their pathetic conversation going.

"Why do you ask?" Green said, gaze narrowing in suspicion.

"I was just curious," Blue lied, sounding just a little too defensive to seem believable.

"It's been average, I suppose," he said, distracted by something behind them.

"What are you looking at?" Blue asked, trying to orient them so that she could see too.

"It's nothing," the brunet muttered, returning the barrier of silence to their dance.

Confused and alone, Red sat at one of the tables lining the dance floor on the other side of the giant ballroom. Green and Blue had run off, Yellow didn't want to talk to him, and he didn't know half the people here. So much for being an exciting night.

"Hey there." Pulled from his thoughts, Red looked up to see a young woman, roughly his age, looking at him.

"Uh, hi," he said, suddenly feeling nervous.

"You wanna dance?" Her voice was like honey; sickeningly sweet but too good to stay away.

"Um, sure." Ears burning, Red followed the woman onto the dance floor. Her dance style was aggressive and controlling. There was always a devious look in her sparkling blue eyes.

"My name's Misty," she purred, putting her lips close to his ear.

"I-I'm Red," he stammered, feeling his face heat up.

"Well, Red, I hope strong enough for me."

"Huh?"

"Oh, don't be like that. We'll go find a room, get comfortable..."

From across the ballroom, a drunken Yellow struggled to stand up. Leaning against the table, she focused her vision on Red's spiky black hair. How cute, Red was dancing with... Wait, who was he dancing with? Her ginger hair didn't look familiar or anything. And the way she was touching him...

Pushing off from the table, Yellow staggered towards the dancing couple. With the occasional yelp of surprise, she pushed through anyone else who stood in her path, her rage building as she neared this... this _harlot._

Coming up behind the couple, she tapped the girl on her shoulder.

"What do you want—" She was quickly cut off by a hefty punch in the nose.

"M-Misty!" Red exclaimed, checking the girl over.

"Okay, who do you think you are putting your hands all over _my_—oh, fudge muffins." Her speech slurred, Yellow wobbled closer to Red and Misty, staring down the ginger.

"What?" Red voiced, looking up at the smaller girl. In an instant, he knew what had happened—she'd gotten drunk.

"You're with this... this _psycho_?!" Misty screeched, holding her bleeding nose.

"Wait, I—"

"No, that's it. I'm never talking to you again!" With a defiant pivot, Misty stormed off, most likely in search of a new man to put her hands all over.

Red turned to his friend. "Yellow, can you please tell me what the hell you're doing?"

"What, was I supposed to just let her do that to you? _No one_ puts their hands on _my_ man except for me." With one final sway, the small blonde finally collapsed, falling into Red's arms in the most ungraceful manner possible.

With Red quite literally having his hands full with Yellow's drunken antics, the story's focus switched from that couple to another, much more sober one.

"Greenie, just tell me, what did you see?" Blue whined for the millionth time.

"First of all, don't call me that. And second, it was nothing. Just let it go." Turning his back to her, Green turned his attention to a tray of tiny salads.

"But I caaaaaaaaaaaaan't!" Cringing, Green faced his whining companion.

"Look, you _really_ wanna know what I saw?" Blue nodded eagerly, eyes sparking with childish hope.

"Come with me," he whispered, taking her to a discreet alcove. Once they were safely away from the public's eye, they spoke.

"Okay, did you _really_ have to take me all the way over here? We're missing the ball!" she complained, seeming not to notice Green's frantic expression.

"Quiet, this isn't something you can just say within earshot of everyone. I saw someone." They both froze for a moment before Blue began laughing uncontrollably.

"Oh wow, that's rich! The great Green _saw_ someone! Let me guess, next you'll be telling me that they had arms, and legs. Maybe even a head or something!" She doubled over, wheezing with laughter, much to Green's annoyance.

"Not like that. I saw someone who wasn't supposed to be here. As in they weren't here for the ball, and they didn't work here. In other words, they were some sort of intruder. The only reason I didn't make a scene out of it was because I wasn't sure," he said quickly. Had it really been a good idea to tell Blue of all people?

"Come on, Greenie, this is the Glassworks Palace! The day someone breaks in here is the day the world finally ends!" Blue said nonchalantly. Oh, how wrong she would be.

"I'm not kidding!" Green seethed as quietly as he could. "Why aren't you taking this seriously?!"

"Look, this is the biggest night in the kingdom. Chances are they were probably part of security or something, so chill! Jeez!" Waving a hand, she began to return to the crowd.

"Listen to me Blue, I'm telling the—" Before he could reach the woman, a piercing screech rang through the air.

Everyone went silent. The dancers stopped dancing, the people stopped chatting, the quintet stopped playing. Even the annoying creaking sound one of the tables had been making mysteriously stopped. For up on the balcony, were the king and queen had been seated, was a third figure.

The king sat slumped over—unconscious, not dead—in his throne-like seat, while the queen stood stone-still. Behind her, holding a knife to her throat, was a person dressed entirely in black, the only identifying feature a streak of red hair.

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**Never in my life did I think I'd be writing about a drunken Yellow... Well, there's a first for everything, isn't there? And the story's got a T-rating and a drinking age of 18, so it's not like this wouldn't have happened eventually. Laws aside, the semi-OOC Green has returned. I'm sorry if this just pisses you off to no end. I just prefer to write this version of everyone's favorite spiky-haired Gym Leader rather than some other versions. Also, this story will contain NO MangaPokeShipping, or I shall be struck by a flying ice cream truck and live. Also, in the original, this was all in the first chapter. Yeah, pacing wasn't really a thing back then. But I've done some work, wrote more, revised my work, and I think I've got it down. Kinda. ALSO, there is such thing as a 'You're a grown adult, calm down' look. I've received it many-a-time in math class and stuff. ALSO, I don't quite know how alcohol works other than adults love it and it smells super gross, though I do know that the smaller you are, the easier you get drunk. So it's pretty logical that Yellow can't hold her liquor well. So, before I completely derail, I should just wrap this up. Farewell, my faithful readers, and may you do what you can not to get drunk at a fancy ball and punch some girl in the face, even if she _was_ touching your man.**

**_-PastaKittyQueen_**


	4. Le Bois de la Folie

**I'm back, people! Anyway, fourth chapter. Yes, they're all in French. Don't know what they say, not my problem. Deal with it. Yes, I have plans for the next few chapters. They are (hopefully) not totally sucky. I'll be sure to consult one of my associates. Now, I'm sure there's at least one or two of you who is just wondering is Blue's memories magically returned sometime in the past, like, 10 years or something. No, they didn't. I'll talk more about that another time. For now, we've got villains to introduce. See you on the other side!**

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_3468 - Glassworks Kingdom_

The entire ballroom was silent, save for the panicked breaths of the queen. A cloaked man stepped out onto the balcony, his carmine eyes ignited with furious eccentricity.

"Isn't this a surprise, meeting all you here! Who would've thought? But I digress. The _real_ reason I'm here has nothing to do with your nice little _gathering_. No, I want something." He drummed his fingers together, grinning creepily.

"My name is Lance. As you many know, I am one of the four leaders of the Woodworks Kingdom. One of the poorer kingdoms, nothing compared to this shimmering spectacle. But sadly, our people are suffering. As of late, our crops have been less than stellar—worse than any winter we've faced for centuries now—leading to fewer jobs and lower pay. It's already hard enough making ends meet, but this doesn't help at all! Which is—"

"What does that have to do with us?!" some idiot interrupted from the crowd below. Several others around him roared their encouragement.

"What does it have to do with you? What does it have to do with _you_?!" Lance slammed his fist down onto the balcony railing, muttering to himself angrily. "It'll always be a mystery why the idiots of the world are the well-off ones. But I digress. In case you've forgotten, much of your produce, wheat and livestock come from our kingdom, not to mention the core building materials for your lavish homes. How would you like to live in glass huts gnawing on bony scraps and rotting fruit?"

"What exactly are you trying to prove?" a woman yelled back. Blue.

Sighing heavily, Lance continued. "I can see our audience is getting restless. May as well get to the point; in thirty days time, this kingdom will be ours. All four kingdoms will conjoin, and everyone will share equal power and wealth. So much land that could be used for farming, no longer wasted on your useless estates! There will be no starvation nor poverty, and the people will prosper _together_. But you know what they say; 'The four kingdoms weren't built in a day'! Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a kingdom to take over. Silver, take care of her. I'll have the others take care of these idiots." Lance wheeled around, marching off the balcony. The other person with him—presumably Silver—did something to the queen, leaving her unconscious as two other people came onto the balcony, taking away the king.

The entire crowd erupted into rampant chaos. Hoards of people fled from the ballroom, funneling out of the narrow doorways into the starry night.

"What are we gonna do?" Red shouted over the chaos.

"I've got a plan," Green said coolly, barely audible over the noise. Grabbing Blue and Red (who was still trying to hold onto Yellow) by the wrists, he dragged them through the crowd, coming toward the general vicinity of the kitchens.

"What are we going over here?" Blue whispered once they were away from the flood of people.

"There's tons of hallways leading from here to the upstairs," Green explained, trying to weave through the numerous chefs. "All we need to do is find the right one."

"What are you kids doing here?!" a fairly large chef bellowed. He stood towering over the four, his arms crossed in intimidation.

"Look," Blue hissed, "we don't have time for you to stop us. Do you have _any_ idea what's going on outside? The king and queen have been captured by one of the other Kingdoms! Do you want to keep your pathetic excuse for job once this is over, or do you want it _gone_ because you didn't let us though?!"

"Uh—um, er, p-please go. Sorry t-to bother you," he stammered, stepping out of the way.

"Thanks you!" Blue said a bit too sweetly.

"You know, it's scary to see you like that," Green and Red both said to her.

Rolling her eyes, Blue ran ahead, bounding up the cramped staircase labelled "Authorized Personnel Only".

"Which way are we going?" Red called, trying to keep up with his older friend.

"Up these stairs, then we hook a left and go down the hall," Blue said as nonchalantly as though she'd lived in the Palace her whole life.

"How do you know?" Red pondered.

"I just do, come on!"

"Huh?" Yellow blinked her eyes open, trying to keep up with Red as he dragged her along. "Where are we?"

"No time to explain," he answered simply. "I'll explain later."

The group continued up the seemingly endless staircase, slipping past the occasional servant as they fled from the upstairs.

"We must be getting closer," Green muttered, bursting through the flimsy wooden door. "Keep your guard up, guys."

Upon reaching the landing, the four took a defensive stance, keeping their eyes peeled for any signs of Woodworks soldiers.

The halls were oddly silent, save for the occasional gust of wind and muffled footsteps from the floor above. Its end was out of sight, hidden by the endless twists and turns. The experience was almost surreal; eyes from the portraits lining the walls bored into the group's skulls, seeming to follow them as they descended down the corridor. By the time they had reached portraits of stiffly-dressed rulers of eons ago, voices came from behind them.

"You idiot... What were you thinking?"

"Give me a break, Crys. As they say in the Glassworks Kingdom, 'tis a night to—ahh!"

"Now shut up before I _make_ you."

Panicking slightly, the four friends searched frantically for some kind of alcove, hidden door, anywhere they could hide.

The voices, accompanied by footsteps, came closer.

And closer.

And closer.

"Red, Blue," Green hissed, turning to his friends. "Yellow and I'll take care of things here. You two do what you can up ahead."

"What?!" Red whispered. "Are you sure the two of you can take them on?"

Standing up straight, Yellow faced Red, looking straight into his crimson eyes. "He said we can take care of it. Now you two, go." With a gentle push, she urged them to go onward.

Knowing that resisting was useless, Red and Blue continued on, leaving the younger of the friends to fight on their own.

Three shadows came into view, their voices becoming more clear as they began to round the corner.

"I'm telling you, there's some sort of conspiracy going on—" A young man, about Yellow's age, froze mid-sentence in the hall, his light amber eyes wide as he scanned over the two before him. Behind him stood a woman with dark brown hair that almost looked bluish in the dim light, her light cyan eyes filled with confusion. Both of them were dressed in black with a faint imprint of a leaf—the symbol of the Woodworks Kingdom.

"Fancy meeting you here," the man said. "I'd guess you two were just at that lovely ball down there. Beautiful sight if I do say so myself—"

"Get to the point," Yellow said sternly, borderline glaring at the young man. Yep, she was still a bit drunk.

"Look," the woman interrupted, "we'd rather not fight you two. So just step aside or we'll pretend this never happened."

"As if," Yellow said rather boldly, stepping toward the two.

"No, Yellow—" Green began, reaching to stop her.

"Oh, you wanna fight?" the young man said, rolling up his sleeves as he came toward his smaller opponent.

"You wanna _lose_?" Foolishly, Yellow charged at the man, trying to drive a fist into his chest.

Green and the woman looked on as the two fought, a bit of an awkward silence forming between them.

"So, uh... hi," she said, catching her spiky-haired companion's attention.

"Huh?" he grunted, looking at her.

"Oh, sorry. It's just, I don't think this fight is gonna end anytime soon." Looking at Yellow and her opponent, it appeared that they were in the heat of battle, a red haze blinding them both from ever stopping. "Name's Crystal, by the way."

"Green," he said, sticking out a hand. Crystal took it firmly, shaking it.

"So, I'm pretty sure you were at that ball," Crystal pondered, her attention focused on the fight before them.

"Yeah, it was nice. And you're with that Lance guy?"

"Unfortunately. I mean, Gold—my partner—and I were recruited back when Lance started this crazy plan to take over the world. Sounds _way_ too convoluted to work, if you ask me." The dark-haired woman sighed heavily, frustration flashing across her face.

"Tell me about it," Green grumbled. "I can't even begin to tell you how many crazy plans this pesky woman has gotten me wrapped up in."

.oOo.

Far within another part of the palace, said pesky woman was running alongside Red, searching fruitlessly for the king and queen.

"I thought you...knew where...you were...going," Red panted between breaths.

"It's not much further," Blue said uncertainly. "At least, I think."

Rolling his eyes, the red-eyed man continued on his way. The deep crimson carpet and blank white walls stretched endlessly in front of them, curving seamlessly to create an intricate system of corridors. The only deviation was a single short hall leading to nothing but a huge glass window. The two's heads were spinning, trying to process what they had and had not seen.

"Wait, stop," Blue breathed, slowing down. Red followed her lead, looking over his shoulder.

"Did you find something?" he asked, eager to stop running.

"No, I... I think there's something up with this hallway." Feeling her hand across the wall, Blue searched for something.

"What are you looking for?" Red asked, also putting a hand against the wall.

"I know that somewhere around here there's a secret door that gets into where the king and queen are. It's since been sealed off so intruders—such as this guy—don't get in. I'm just wondering how him of all people managed to find it," she explained, beginning to knock against the smooth plaster. Red joined in, searching for a hollow space with her.

"Agh, this is taking too long!" Red finally exclaimed, exasperated with their unsuccessful search. Taking his fists, he began to punch the wall.

"I know you're strong, but you're not strong enough to break through," Blue said rather dejectedly as he continued. "The walls here are just plaster covering reinforced—"

_Smash!_ A hole the size of Red's fist formed, pits of plaster flaking off from the edges.

"—steel." Finishing flatly, Blue inspected the wall's damage while Red continued further down. It went straight through, showing the ancient wooden skeleton of the building.

"What was that you were saying?" Red said cockily, punching more holes in the walls.

"Shut up. And be careful; this place looks like it could fall apart any day now."

It didn't take long for Red's fist to find a narrow passageway leading off into another part of the Palace.

"Wonderful!" Blue cheered, leaning her weight onto the wall. A door swung open, nearly sending the brunette to the ground as she fell forth.

"Gotcha," Red said, grabbing Blue's arm before she reached the floor.

"Thanks," she said, steadying herself. Dusting off the skirt of her dress, Blue led the way to the nearby stone wall at the end of the passageway. Gesturing towards it, she waited for Red to demolish this wall too.

"Piece of cake," he grunted, shattering the cracking stone. A thin layer of plaster cracking into dust, opening up into the balcony room.

Having failed to notice them yet, Lance sat with his back facing the wall, lazily sipping from a cocktail glass. Signalling silently, Blue inched towards him, keeping her weight on the front of her feet to avoid her heels from clicking against the shiny wooden floor.

A quick breath sounded from around a corner. Freezing, Blue cast her gaze to the left, seeing a boy—just hardly two years younger—dressed all in black, his hand clasped around the handle of a knife as his silvery eyes watched Blue's every move.

"What is it, Silver?" Lance asked from his position, still having failed to notice the two intruders.

"Nothing, sir," he said curtly, his face expressionless while his leader turned away. Once Lance's attention was elsewhere, he began to mouth furiously to Blue.

'What are you doing here? Get out of here!'

'Saving my kingdom. Don't try and stop me,' she replied determinedly.

'I'm not trying to stop you; I'm trying not to get you killed!'

Red looked on in confusion as Blue and the mysterious boy exchanged inaudible words. He didn't know how to read lips, but from what he could tell it was a heated conversation, one he should stay out of if at all possible.

"Seriously, Silver, there's something you're not telling me," Lance drawled, spinning the olive in his glass.

"It's nothing, sir," he answered, glaring harshly in Blue's direction. 'For the last time, _get out_.'

'I've told you, I'm not leaving!'

Sighing silently, the boy's—Silver's—expression changed from one of frustration to that of pure shock. "Sir, we have intruders!"

"What?!" Turning ungracefully, Lance stared at Red and Blue standing where they'd taken out the wall. "When did they get here?!"

"I just noticed them. I'll take care of this." Hand on the knife at his side, Silver advanced towards the two.

"Not today," Blue said grimly, yanking one heel off of her foot. Removing the end of the shoe, she revealed a sharpened point, pointing it at her adversary.

"Foolish girl," Silver said condescendingly, slashing at her. Blue dodged at the last possible moment, having an opening to attempt to stab Silver in the arm. He managed to get away with little more than his sleeve scratched. Jabbing fiercely, she aimed for his face, trying to fell the boy.

Slipping next to him, Blue managed to make a cut on his cheek. Hissing in pain, Silver lost focus for a moment, long enough for Blue to kick him in the shin with her foot that still had the shoe on it. Without thinking, she grabbed at the knife's blade, trying to force it out of his grasp. As her hand was sliced open and bled profusely, Silver aimed a punch at Blue's collarbone, causing her to fall back, the shoe sliding out of her reach.

"Blue!" Looking up the brunette saw the familiar forest green eyes of her longtime ally, quickly followed by the now-bright yellowish eyes of friend.

"I can't believe those two!" Lance exclaimed, still sitting as though nothing had happened. "They let _four_ people get past them! Utterly pathetic!"

Taking advantage of the distraction, Blue crawled towards the door Green and Yellow had come from, signalling for Red to follow. Before she could get very far, a foot pinned down her hand. Cursing under her breath, she looked up to see Silver glaring from above her.

"Get off her!" Red and Green yelled in unison, both jumping on the boy. He fought back valiantly, but was unable to hold back the two men. Scrambling to her feet, Blue finally made it to the door, where Yellow was waiting for her.

"Blue!" the small blonde exclaimed. "What happened?"

"No time to explain," she managed to say, trying to resist gasping for air. "We just—_cough_—need to get out of here."

"There they are!" Whipping around, Yellow and Blue saw the shapes of Gold and Crystal running towards them. Even from such a distance it was clearly evident that they had beef with the intruders.

"Uh, guys," Yellow called out. "You mind finishing up sometime soon?"

Red and Green were closing in on Silver, dodging his every move as he nimbly attacked. Their blows were avoided with ease, though each one came closer to making contact. Putting in all his strength, Green hooked him in the face, sending him stumbling.

"We've got you now!" Recognizing their voices, Green knew they were cornered. Knowing their luck, more soldiers from Woodworks would come rushing to the scene.

"Red," he panted, suddenly finding himself exhausted. "We've gotta go."

Nodding, the red-eyed man ran towards the two women, followed soon by Green. Together, the four of them ran down the hall, shouldering their way through Gold and Crystal. Not daring to look back, they heard footfalls gaining on them.

Passing by the giant hole Red had left in the wall, Green suddenly yelled, "This way!", skidding as he led the way down another hallway. All that met them was a short corridor with a single, wide window at the end.

"Are you stupid?!" Blue rasped. "It's a dead end!"

"No it's not!" Angling his side toward the window, Green allowed himself to fly at the glass, shattering it completely. For a moment he seemed to float in the air, shards of glass all around him. But as reality and gravity began to return, he plummeted towards the deep snowbank below them.

"Oomph!" Grunting, he landed in the snow, unharmed aside from the breath knocked out of him. Rolling to the side, he watched as his three friends also fell down into the snow.

"Dammit!" Looking up, they saw the furious face of Gold accompanied by Crystal staring down worriedly. "We've lost 'em!" Together they retreated from the broken window, leaving the four Glassworks citizens in the snow.

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**I'm back! Chapter done! Which is wonderful considering the dreaded writer's block was beginning to get to me! Now I can work on chapters I actually anticipated! Also, during the lengthy writing process of this chapter, I actually learned that every PG-13 rated film (or T-rated fic in this case) gets one non-sexual f-bomb. Obviously, I won't be wasting it in the author's note because yes, I'm counting that as part of the fic. Which means I'm gonna place the most epic f-bomb ever contrived somewhere in this wonderful creation. And yes, Blue and Red could've just continued along the path to find Lance, but they ended up bust a hole in a wall for absolutely nothing. On a totally unrelated note, I will hopefully update sometime within this century with a chapter that may or may not progress the story. But don't worry, the story will eventually progress. Just wait. In the meantime, feel free to browse around my profile, find some more stories, awesome forae, possibly a poll regarding everyone's favorite child-friendly nightmare fuel. Farewell, dear readers!**

_**-PastaKittyQueen**_


	5. L'Or et l'Argent

**Welcome back to the long-awaited fifth chapter of Pulsar: The Awakening! I'd rather not waste time on the little intro thing so here you guys go. Chapter five. Please don't kill me.**

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_3459__ \- Woodworks Kingdom_

The sun hung lazily along the horizon, like it could just barely climb into the sky. Heavy gray clouds, saturated with thick snowfall, weighed down on it, willing for night to carry on.

Despite the night's reluctance to end, time passed on, meaning people still had to go about their jobs.

Of course, there were some who were as reluctant to do work as the day was to begin. Of these people was a boy. Only about ten years old, he'd already earned himself a reputation for being irresponsible and lazy.

"Gold, wake up!" He jerked, tangled in bedding, before groggily scrambling to his feet.

"I'm up," he yawned, blinking the sleep out of his eyes.

"Good. Now get dressed. I have a delivery for you to make." He nodded at his mother, throwing on whatever clothes he could find before finding her in the kitchen.

"Gold, your hair's a mess."

"It's fine, Mom. Where do I need to go?" the boy said, trying to smooth the mess of black spikes.

"Just down to Elm's. He said something about needing help moving some stuff, so I told him you could do that too."

"Oh. Fun." Gold hated having to go to Elm's. He was this weird guy obsessed with science, mostly because he was too weak to do much else. But alas, Gold knew not to anger his mother further and took the parcel, beginning his walk to the forest outside of town.

Gold's mother ran a business selling herbs, baked goods and dairy products to the people of their small town. It was what had kept them on their feet for as long as Gold had been alive, and seeing as he was old enough to know his way around town and not get himself killed, he'd been sucked into it. But it wasn't like he could complain. The older folk liked him, and tended to overpay just a bit. And it was one of the only ways he got to know kids his age.

But he could think about that another time. Now, he could begin to see Elm's house peeking out from the thick trees. A couple of shadows had cast themselves over Gold. He shivered, even as the sun warmed him once more.

Something still felt off. Like he was being watched. Brushing it off he continued towards Elm's house. The quicker he got there, the quicker this would be over.

_Snap_.

He froze. Most animals heavy enough to snap a twig wouldn't be out this time of year.

_Snap._

Taking in a deep breath, Gold prepared himself to brave whatever beast was lurking among these woods.

_Snap_.

_Snap_.

"Gah!" Before him stood...a weasel. It pawed at the ground, looking up at Gold with its large black eyes.

"You're not some kind of monster," he muttered to himself, crouching down. He placed the parcel beside him, putting out his hand for the weasel to sniff.

The small creature's nose twitched. It came closer, sniffing his hand before biting down with its sharp little teeth.

"Ow! What the hell?" By the time he tried to confront the tiny creature it was already on its way. With his parcel.

"Hey! That's not yours!" he shouted, trying to chase after it. Unfortunately, the weasel had managed to climb a tree, the parcel still in its possession.

"You... melon-farmer! Don't think I won't come back for you!" As Gold stormed away, the weasel snickered with the parcel. Beside him was another boy, a small smile creeping onto his face.

"Nice work," he muttered to the weasel. Taking the parcel he tore it open, sorting through its contents.

A bunch of leaves? What was he supposed to do with this? At least there was some bread in here too so it's not like it was _completely_ wasted.

"Come on," he said, letting the rest of the parcel fall to the ground. "Let's go see if the people in Cherrygrove have better food to steal."

Carefully, he slid himself off the branch, pushing his auburn hair out of his face as he landed. The weasel landed next to him, shaking its fur.

"Hey, you!" The boy looked up, seeing Gold standing angrily before him. He looked down the weasel next to him. "You're with that thing?"

"Why do you care?" the redheaded boy said, beginning to walk off. Fuming, Gold tackled him to the ground.

"Get off of me!" he yelled, trying to claw at him with his gloved hands.

"Yeah, right! I'm turning you in for trying to rob me!" Gold growled. He tried to restrain him, but was stopped by the sharp fangs of the weasel.

"Ow!" In that moment, the redheaded boy struggled free from Gold's grasp, quickly getting to his feet. The weasel bounded after him as the two made their getaway.

But Gold wouldn't give up, not that easily. He got to his feet, running as fast as he could.

"Don't think you can get away from me!" he screamed, quickly running out of breath. Within just moments Gold fell to his knees, gasping for breath. How the hell could that guy run so fast?

Finally losing that annoying guy following him, the mysterious redhead slowed his pace to a relaxed stroll. His weasel companion trotted alongside him as his feet crunched the thin layer of snow.

Just past the treetops the roofs of buildings became visible. Cherrygrove. Hopefully they would have something better than what that kid had with him. Keeping to the shadows of the tall coniferous trees, the redhead stalked towards the sleepy little town.

A ray of sunshine filtered through the pines, dappling his auburn hair and sleek black attire. His small weasel companion bounded ahead, sniffing the air with excitement. What a naive creature it was, oblivious to the caution its master proceeded with.

Snow crunched from behind the redhead. Gasping, he scanned his surroundings, signalling silently for the weasel to return to his side.

Had that kid from before caught up to him? No, his lazy ass had no chance of catching up to him. It was probably just a traveler going through the woods with no clue as to who he was.

Shaking it off, he continued through the forest, reaching the end of the treeline. Few dared to go about any sort of business at this early hour. Grinning to himself, the redhead casually slipped into the town.

"That's him!" Freezing, he saw that black-haired boy from before. With him were two older men, likely police officers.

Well shit.

Instinctively, the redhead sprinted for the trees, knowing that his weasel companion would be alongside him. Just inches from cover he was tackled to the ground once more.

"Get off of me!" he demanded, squirming. But his attempts at escape would be fruitless. Out of the corner of his vision he saw the little brownish creature. Its black eyes were filled with worry upon seeing its master pinned down.

"Go," he mouthed, relaxing under the grip of his assailant, one of the larger men. Hesitantly, it darted into the trees, fading into the shadows of dawn.

* * *

"Tell us your name, son," the officer asked coldly.

"Silver," the boy said, brushing a strand of auburn hair out of his face. He had finally admitted defeat—that cocky kid had managed to catch him.

"Ah, yes," he muttered. "We were informed of you."

"Were you now?" Silver asked, trying to sound as sardonic as possible.

"Troublesome little mite, aren't you?" he taunted, scribbling something down on a notepad. "Apparently, you ran away from home. For the fourth time."

"Fifth," he corrected, his tone flat and uncaring.

"Fifth, yes. I think your parents would be glad to see you, what with how many times you've tried to run away."

Silver scowled inwardly. He wanted nothing to do with that damned place people insisted he call 'home'. The same people who claimed that 'home' was where you felt comfortable, or _at home_, which is the exact opposite of what Silver felt there.

He looked up. Outside of this interrogation room—which was extremely unnecessary, as even he was wise enough not to try and escape when in the presence of a police officer—was that same kid who'd landed him into this mess yet again.

Arrogantly, he swaggered his way into the room where Silver sat, a smirk upon his face.

"Remember this day, my friend," he announced, his arms folded. "Today is the day that I, the magnificent Gold, have landed my first criminal behind bars. Go and tell all your criminal friends that they'll have something else coming for them if they _ever_ try and cause trouble here."

"I'm not going to jail," Silver interrupted quietly. The boy—Gold—froze momentarily.

"W-What do you mean?"

"I'm not going to jail. You haven't put anyone 'behind bars', as you so eloquently put it."

"But I—"

"Don't bother." He put out a hand, silencing Gold. "Besides, you're what, ten? There's no way you could arrest someone, not on your own."

Gold was crushed. He had done virtually nothing, besides get this guy in trouble. He'd never been much of a snitch to begin with, but that temporary feeling of triumph over another had been so great. And yet, with just one brief clarification, it was gone.

Silver, on the other hand, was quite content with himself. Despite having known him for all of about ten minutes, that Gold kid had gotten on his nerves. And now, he'd managed to shut him up.

But, for this one moment in time, they were both thinking the same thing:

"If I ever see this bastard ever again, it'll be too soon."

* * *

**I feel like that was a really short chapter. But it was meant to explain how Gold and Silver first met. If I feel this wasn't enough I'll add to it with a part 2 or something, just to help with their back stories a bit more. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this extremely belated update to Pulsar: The Awakening. Have a good one.**

**_~PastaKittyQueen_**


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